Author: Magic of
Isis
Title: Anything to
Get the Girl
Summary: Harry wants
Ginny, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win her.
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 9,381
Notes/Warnings:
Written for the HPGW Ficafest. Many thanks to my lovely betas! Kate was a good sport to beta for me even
though she loathes this ship and she contributed some funny lines, and
Shocolate for the read-through.
~*~*~
“There’s no way I’m going to that Ball, Mum,” huffed Ginny as she took out her hostility on the poor potatoes that were to be their dinner that evening. “It’s going to be unbelievably boring: there won’t be anyone there who’s my age, and I’ll have to stand around talking to your friends with a fake smile plastered on my face the entire night. Award or not, I simply refuse to go.”
Molly Weasley glared at her daughter in a manner that none of her children knew how ignore. “After all these years of waiting for some respect, your father has finally been given the promotion he deserves, and the Award for Exemplary Service during the war is just an extra bonus. He needs our support, Ginny.”
“He has my support, Mum. I just don’t see why I have to go to the dumb Ministry Ball. Ron doesn’t have to go.”
“That’s because Ron is in Italy. If Ron was in England, he’d be going, and he’d be thrilled,” answered Molly. Ginny seriously doubted that was true, but since Ron wasn’t even here, there was no point in arguing. “And you could bring a date so that you’d have someone your own age to talk to.”
Ginny levitated the pulverized potatoes into the pot and lit the burner with her wand. It looked like they’d be mashed tonight. She wiped off the cutting board and turned to her mother. “The Ball is the day after tomorrow. Where am I going to find anyone who can go at this short notice?”
“I might know of someone—”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Look, the only thing I can think of that’s worse than going to this Ball is going to this Ball on a blind date.”
“He wouldn’t be a blind date. In fact, you know him quite well,” Molly said smugly.
“You can’t possibly mean that two-timing louse Colin Creevey, because I told him if he ever came near me again, my hex wouldn’t miss him the next time.”
“No, definitely not Colin. I was thinking about Harry.”
Ginny’s eyes popped open. “Harry? But Harry’s in Italy with Ron. Why would he come back if Ron doesn’t have to?”
Molly leaned over to get out plates; Ginny noticed an extra one. “No, dear, he’s been reassigned to London. Ron sent an owl this morning telling us to expect Harry as early as dinnertime tonight. And Harry’s just like a son to your dad and me; I’d really like him to go to the Ball as well.”
Ginny’s jaw dropped. Harry was coming here? “Well, I’ll ask him, but if he turns me down, then I’m definitely not going.” Ginny knew she must look a fright, not having done more than run a comb through her wavy locks that morning. “If you’re all right here, I’ll just be up in my room until Harry arrives.”
Molly watched her youngest beat a hasty retreat, no doubt to redo hair and makeup before the guest of honor arrived. She grinned, wondering if Ginny really thought she was fooling anyone with the I’m-not-interested-in-Harry act.
~*~*~
Harry sighed contentedly as they moved from the table to the living room, nearly bursting from the delicious meal he’d just eaten. Somehow he and Ron had never gotten the hang of cooking – or more accurately, Harry didn’t have the inclination to learn when he dined by himself most evenings.
As he regaled Ginny and her parents with humorous tales of his and Ron’s adventures as English wizards in Wizarding Rome (the censored version), Harry almost forgot how miserable he’d been. His loneliness had been all consuming. While Ron had taken to the Roman nightlife like a fish to water, Harry usually wound up drinking too much and brooding. He’d met a few Italian women in the discos, but he always regretted going home with them five minutes after having sex. They made him realize just how much he wanted Ginny.
Harry hadn’t wanted to go to Italy in the first place. He’d been enjoying his largely ceremonial position in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, using his reputation as Vanquisher of Lord Voldemort to rebuild the strained relationships with wizarding communities in other countries. His job allowed him a lot of contact with the Public Relations office and their junior clerk, Ginny Weasley.
He’d fallen for Ginny – hard. But being completely unschooled on the proper way to conduct relationships and not wanting to mess this one up, he’d taken things very slowly: lunch every few days, a drink after work, a small amount of flirting, but never anything more. He’d been waiting for a sign that Ginny was interested in more than friendship, but if she ever gave him one, he’d missed it.
Then, all of a sudden, Colin Creevey had swooped into Ginny’s life, wining and dining her, bringing her lavish gifts, and generally sweeping her off her feet. Their lunch conversations turned into, “Colin said this,” and “Colin did that.” It was so sickening that Harry started coming up with excuses to skip lunch. Within a few weeks, Ginny and Colin were together as a couple.
A position had come open as a liaison officer to Rome, and Harry used his considerable influence to get it, claiming it was because he wanted to be closer to Ron, who had been studying abroad in a two-year Advanced Charms program. Harry had never told anyone the real reason for his departure, and no one thought to question him.
But the day Ron received his mum’s owl that brought news of Ginny’s disastrous break-up with Colin, Harry sent Hedwig to the Ministry with a request to transfer back to London. It had taken a few months for the arrangements to be made, but he was finally back where he belonged – in England, with Ginny.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley finally went up to bed, leaving Harry and Ginny sitting together on the couch.
“So, do you want to play Exploding Snap or something?” Ginny asked after a short, but awkward silence.
“No. I want to hear how you’re doing. I mean, after you and Colin—”
“Don’t mention his name in front of me. I’m so over him, it’s almost as if we never went out. If I never see him again, it’ll be too soon.”
“Methinks you doth protest too much. He hurt you, Gin. I can tell.”
Ginny slumped a bit into the sofa. “No, what he really did was embarrass me. A lot. Things weren’t that great between us, or he’d never have gone out looking for someone else. It was just humiliating that it was so public, and with Pansy Parkinson, no less!”
Harry moved in a little closer, slinging his arm across the back of the couch, but not touching her. “For what it’s worth, I think Colin Creevey is the biggest idiot who ever lived. And I intend to tell him that right before I hex him into oblivion.”
Ginny smiled, turning to search his eyes. Harry swore there was affection in hers. Luckily, he hadn’t done or said anything to ruin their friendship, and they still had a comfortable rapport. He hoped he could leverage that friendship into something more.
Harry was about to ask Ginny about her job, when she blurted out, “Harry, I need to ask you a favor.”
“Of course. What can I do for you?”
“I need a date to the stupid Ministry Ball on Friday night. Dad is receiving a Distinguished Service Award and Mum is insisting that I go.”
Harry closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Merlin help him, anything but that. Ever since he’d been forced to attend Ministry functions one after the other following the defeat of Voldemort, he’d come to hate them with a passion that rivaled his feelings for the Dursleys.
“Er…”
Ginny smiled apologetically. “I wouldn’t even ask, except that Mum really wants you to go too, seeing as how you’re practically family. Fred and George have to go, and I think Charlie’s even coming from Romania.”
How was it that even when she was in another room, Mrs. Weasley still had the ability to guilt him into doing things he didn’t want to do? God, he’d rather endure a Potions lesson with Snape than another one of those damn balls. If it were anyone but Ginny… Harry sighed heavily, saying, “Okay, I suppose I’ll go with you.”
Ginny didn’t look very happy with his response. It suddenly occurred to Harry that he might have just insulted her. He couldn’t leave her with the impression that his hesitancy was because he didn’t want to be with her.
Harry slid his fingers under her chin and lifted it so that she was looking directly at him. “Ginny, it’s not that I don’t want to spend time with you. It’s just that I really hate those Ministry functions.”
“I know,” Ginny replied, brightening up a bit. “I hate them too. But we don’t have to stay for very long. I promise – we’ll just listen to the award presentation, take one spin around the dance floor and then leave. Mum might be able to make me go, but she can’t make me stay.”
Harry shrugged. “I suppose I’d better go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get some dress robes,” he said thoughtfully. “Do you want to come with me? I’m shite at buying clothes.”
“It’s the least I can do,” nodded Ginny.
A warm feeling washed over Harry. If you left out the part about having to go to a Ministry Ball, his homecoming was perfect: Ginny was definitely single and she seemed to be pleased that he’d returned. He was determined not to screw up this time by waiting too long and letting someone else come between them. Friday night would be a perfect opportunity to tell Ginny how he felt.
As they walked up the stairs to their respective rooms, Harry placed his hand on the small of Ginny’s back in what he hoped would be interpreted as a more-than-friendly gesture. “It’s good to be back,” he whispered at her door. “I’ve missed you.”
~*~*~
They met at Madam Malkin’s at lunchtime. Harry wasn’t due to start his new position until the following Monday, but Ginny had to work, and she came barreling into the shop five minutes late.
“Did you find anything yet?” she asked breathlessly.
Harry shook his head. “No. I was waiting for you. Well, what do you suggest, Madam Fashion Consultant?” He walked over to a rack of silk dress robes with velvet collars. “These are all the rage in Italy, but somehow I don’t see myself as the ‘silk’ type.”
Ginny eyed them and then moved to another rack. “No, you’re right. I’d expect to see something like that on Draco Malfoy or Col— someone else. You should go for a more traditional look.”
Harry couldn’t help but notice the blush that crept all the way up to Ginny’s ears when she slipped and almost said Colin’s name. He really hoped that didn’t mean that she was still hung up on him despite what she’d said the previous night.
Ginny picked out several robes for him to try on, and they finally decided on the classic black ones. While the assistant fitted them on him in the back, Harry could hear Ginny talking to Madam Malkin herself.
“Were you interested in a new gown for yourself, dear?” Madam Malkin was asking her. “I just got these in last week, and with your skin color and figure, that blue one would be smashing.”
Ginny answered, “Oh, my, that’s gorgeous! Look at the details on it. But I’m afraid I’m going to stick with what I’ve got. I’ve worn it a few times, but it’s hard to justify spending all that money on a gown I don’t really need.”
They prattled on about the Ball and the latest gossip, and Harry became mesmerized by the cadence of her voice. Finally, he finished his fitting and paid while his robes were magically altered. A few minutes later, they emerged from the shop, Harry laden with new dress robes that he hoped he’d only have to wear once.
After a quick lunch at their favorite café, Ginny went back to work and Harry wandered down Diagon Alley. When he came to Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes, he grinned and stepped inside.
“Anybody here?” Harry called. Fred popped up from behind the counter and George poked his head out from a storage closet.
“Harry!” the twins said in unison.
“Well, if it isn’t the Prodigal Son returned home,” said George, walking over to shake Harry’s hand. “I was positive that once you got a look at those beautiful Italian women, it would be the last we’d ever see of you.”
Harry chuckled. “No, that would be your brother. Ron’s really making an effort to immerse himself in, er, Roman culture.”
Fred had come around to the front of the counter and clapped Harry on the back. “No kidding? We always thought he was gay. Anyway, it’s great to see you, mate. Are you back for good now?”
Thinking back to all the nameless girls who’d paraded through their flat, Harry was fairly convinced that Ron was not gay. “Yeah,” he said. “I’m staying at the Burrow until I can find a flat.”
“You just like Mum fussing over you.”
Harry blushed, mostly because it was true.
Fred smirked, “Yeah, George, but the more she fusses over Harry, the less time she spends bothering us. So it works out for all of us, yeah?”
Harry laughed. He’d forgotten how much fun it was to be around Fred and George, or simply to be with good friends, for that matter.
“You’ve already been shopping, I see,” observed George, prodding the bag with Harry’s robes inside.
“Yeah. I let Ginny talk me into taking her to the Ministry Ball tomorrow, so I needed dress robes.”
Fred and George looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Now this was an interesting development. Mum had mentioned something about Ginny fancying Harry, and they knew perfectly well how much Harry despised Ministry functions. There was only one thing to do with this new information…
“You know, Harry, Ginny’s had a bit of a rough time of it,” George said earnestly. “Did you hear what happened with her and Creevey?”
Harry nodded. “Yes, and I was a little worried that her two overprotective big brothers allowed him to live.” A smile played at the corners of his mouth.
“Do you think we let him off easy, Fred?” George asked. “We sent him sixteen howlers that first day, and two or three a day for the following week.”
“Even got a volume discount from the post office!” added Fred.
Suppressing a snigger, Harry glared at them. “Well, I’d say that if he’s still capable of procreation, you let him off easy.”
“Eh, there’s still time. Anyway,” said George, “we ought to warn you that Ginny’s a bit…off these days.”
“Off? What do you mean?”
George continued, “I mean, she’s taken to saying strange things totally out of the blue. It’s very weird.”
Harry’s eyes opened wide. “Wh–what kinds of things?”
Fred and George exchanged pointed glances again. “Like the other day, we were out for drinks and she interrupted me to say that all the men in the bar were staring at her.”
“Well, were they?”
“No, of course not,” said George. “So I just told her that they weren’t staring at her, they were staring at me. It seemed to make her feel better.”
Harry blinked twice. “But I spent all last evening with her and your parents, and she seemed perfectly normal. And that was – I dunno – four or five hours.”
Fred rested a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “That’s the thing that’s so strange. She’ll be acting completely sane, and then all of a sudden, she’ll change the subject and say something like, ‘Why did you just turn all of our robes to green?’ It’s quite disturbing.”
Harry wasn’t sure whether to believe them, but even he could tell that Ginny wasn’t as ‘over’ Colin as she pretended to be. It made him vow to work all that harder to make her fall for him instead. “So you think this is happening because of Colin?”
George nodded. “It was a bad scene. Even I felt sorry for her.”
“It’s a shameless plea for attention, if you ask me,” muttered Fred.
Harry was more than a little worried now. He knew so little about normal women, and now he’d have to deal with a slightly insane one… but it was Ginny, so he’d try to make the best of it.
Harry furrowed his brows. “So when she says this… weird stuff, what do you do?”
Fred looked sideways at George before turning his gaze to Harry again. “I’ve found it best just to play along. When she says that she can hear The Weird Sisters playing inside of her head, I’ll ask her which song it is. Just act normally – like she’s asked you about the weather or something.”
George nodded in agreement. “It doesn’t take her long to snap out of it. Although… she’s been known to get a little upset.”
“Okay. I’ll try not to upset her then. Wow, I didn’t realize she’d had it so rough.”
“You have no idea,” said Fred.
Harry had already formulated a plan, and now he had some errands to run. “Look, guys, I need to make a few more stops, so I’ve got to go now. But I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“Yeah, till tomorrow then,” said Fred.
George patted him on the back. “Glad you’re back, Harry. It’s been terribly dull without you here.”
Harry smiled and waved with his free hand as he walked out the door.
“Okay, George, what have you got planned? That was the biggest set up we’ve done in at least two years, and Harry looked more than a little disturbed.”
George burst out laughing. “She’s gonna kill us. We’d better practice shield charms tonight. Here – come help me with these crates. and I’ll tell you my idea.”
~*~*~
“Back so soon, Mr. Potter? Is there something wrong with the robe?” asked Madam Malkin as Harry entered the shop.
“No, it’s fine. I wanted to ask you about the gown you were showing to my friend while I was being fitted. Can I see it?”
Madam Malkin beamed. “Let me see – she looked at several…”
“It was blue,” Harry supplied helpfully. “And you said you’d just got it in.”
“Ah, yes. A beautiful gown, that one. It’s over here.”
She led him to the rack and pulled it out, draping it across her body to show him what it might look like while worn. Harry’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the plunging neckline and revealing low back. He remembered Ginny mentioning the details, and he tried to see what she’d been talking about, but he was rather distracted by imagining the amount of cleavage that would be showing.
“Er…isn’t it a bit…well, is that the kind of neckline the other witches will be wearing?” Harry asked, his cheeks blushing madly.
“Believe it or not, it’s downright conservative when compared to some of the gowns I’ve sold for this event. But your Miss Weasley, she’s got the kind of style that can pull off this neckline without looking – shall we say – too common.”
Harry nodded. He reached out to touch the fabric – a royal blue silk that was soft against his fingertips. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the price tag. Forty-five galleons. It was more than twice what he’s spent on his dress robes, but the gown would look lovely on Ginny and she was worth it.
Madam Malkin could see that Harry was not yet convinced that he should buy it. “You know,” she said in a quiet voice, “Miss Weasley has gotten some rather unfortunate publicity of late. Not that I usually read that rubbish, but when one works in a robe shop, one hears all sorts of things. I think for her to show up at the Ministry Ball confidently wearing this gorgeous gown with Harry Potter as her escort will definitely quiet some of the less flattering tongues.” She nodded at Harry knowingly.
If Harry hadn’t been convinced before, he certainly was now, and he immediately decided to buy the gown. Madam Malkin summoned a card file and pulled one out with Ginny’s name on it. “These measurements are a couple of years old, but I think they’re close enough to make the alterations. Have Miss Weasley try the gown on this evening, and if it needs any adjustments, she can bring it back in tomorrow.”
As Madam Malkin wrapped the gown in a gift box, she said, “Now, she’ll need special undergarments to wear with this.”
Harry’s eyes shot open wide. “Special undergarments?” He blushed furiously again.
“Yes. It’s important for a woman to show off a sample of her figure without allowing an entire feast. Without a proper corset, mishaps have been known to occur. Would you happen to know if she owns a magical corset? ”
The idea of a corset mishap allowing him to feast his eyes on Ginny’s body was making Harry’s brain freeze. “I…er…no. I mean, I have no idea.” He looked down at his hands. “We’re not actually dating…or anything.”
Madam Malkin ignored his nervousness, and began scratching something on a small bit of parchment. “I don’t carry lingerie, but you could find what she needs at Satin & Lace, which is right next door to Ollivander’s. Give this note to the clerk, and she’ll get you exactly what you need.”
Half an hour later, and quite a few galleons poorer, Harry emerged from Satin & Lace, with the required undergarments. He hadn’t been so embarrassed in a shop since that time Hermione made him buy her some tampons. He hadn’t looked at the corset, and he might have purchased matching knickers, too – he wasn’t exactly sure. He’d just nodded and handed over his money.
He was trying to decide whether to deliver the packages to her himself or owl post them when he passed the jewelry shop. Earlier, he’d been dwelling on the fact that Colin Creevey had showered Ginny with presents when he’d first dated her, and that strategy had worked pretty well at capturing Ginny’s heart. Perhaps he should do the same. Harry walked into the shop, and a sales clerk swooped down on him immediately.
“I’m interested in a necklace for my, er, friend,” Harry said confidently. At least he could understand jewelry, as opposed to the mystery that was lingerie.
The clerk motioned him over to a display case of brilliantly cut jewels. Harry wasn’t sure what was different about magical gemstones until he saw light radiating from the centers of the stones. It was truly captivating, and he knew at once Ginny must have one. He’d been considering a sapphire since it would compliment the color of the gown, but then a shimmering white onyx pendant caught his eye.
“What exactly is that one?” he asked.
The clerk pulled a tray from the display case and set the pendant on a mannequin. “This is a white onyx. It was handcut and spelled by the legendary gemologist Velasquez. You know the properties of onyx, don’t you?”
“No.”
“It is particularly useful when someone is experiencing emotional instability and stress – it is said to drain negative energy and transform it into protective power. Stamina and self-control increases while wearing it, and it can help you deal with challenges in your life.” She glanced at him hopefully.
“It’s perfect. How much is it?”
The clerk smiled at him. “Normally Velasquez jewelry starts upwards of twenty-five galleons, but since you’re Harry Potter, I can sell it to you for sixteen galleons and 8 sickles.”
Clearly fame had its privileges. Harry tried not to think about how much money he’d just spent on this little excursion to Diagon Alley. He had nearly ninety galleons invested in this stupid Ministry Ball – which he hoped to attend for only a short while. But then he thought about Ginny wearing the gown and the pendant and he had no reservations about giving her these gifts. It was just money and she was special.
Hauling his purchases up to the counter at the post office, Harry spent a few more sickles having the dress and lingerie sent by owl post. That way, if Ginny didn’t want to tell her mum that Harry had given them to her (and he rather wished she wouldn’t) she could keep it a secret. He slipped the pendant into the pocket of his cloak and Apparated back to the Burrow.
~*~*~
Ginny came home from work several minutes before Harry’s gifts arrived, and he sat quietly watching her reaction as she opened them. While it was possible that there were people in Ottery St. Catchpole who didn’t hear Ginny’s squeal of delight, it could only have been due to deafness. She knew immediately that they were from him, and he thought she exercised sound judgment by not taking the corset out of the box when she saw where it was from.
“Harry, you didn’t have to do this! I could have worn my other old gown. Of course, it wouldn’t have been nearly as lovely…”
Harry shrugged, trying to be nonchalant, though he was secretly pleased, “It’s only fair that if I have to wear new clothes, you should too.”
Ginny hugged him tightly. “You’re the best, Harry. I’m just…wow. I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”
She disappeared upstairs with the boxes and Harry slumped back in his chair. The smell of Ginny’s perfume and the warmth of her hug made his skin tingle. Just wait until she saw the pendant….
~*~*~
Harry had to grab on to the wall when he saw Ginny descending the stairs. He’d known she’d be beautiful in that gown, but he was stunned to see that it had very nearly transformed her from mild-mannered, girl-next-door Ginny to Ginevra Weasley, vixen sex goddess. She had curves in all the right places, and her smile was brimming with confidence. She looked – to put it mildly – dead sexy.
“If I’d know you’d come down those stairs looking like this, I wouldn’t have hesitated before agreeing to take you to the Ball. Of course, the idea of skipping it all together is even more appealing now…”
“Harry!” said Ginny with a grin. “You have to take me, remember? We promised Mum.” She reached the bottom of the stairs and Harry held out his arm to her, chastely kissing her on the cheek as he pulled her closer.
He knew he should say something complimentary about the gown, but he didn’t think it was appropriate to mention that he desperately wanted to ravage her on the kitchen table at the moment. He settled for, “You look amazing, Ginny.”
Ginny blushed, which made her look all that more fetching. “Thanks, Harry. The gown is gorgeous. And you’re looking quite fit yourself.”
“I can assure you that no one will be looking at me this evening. You know, there’s one thing wrong with your outfit, though,” Harry said, eyebrows furrowed in mock concern. He reached his finger to Ginny’s neck and lifted up the thin gold chain that he’d bought for her over a year ago which had a small charm of a Golden Snitch.
“What – is my makeup smudged or something?”
Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the onyx necklace. “Oh my God! Harry!” Ginny shrieked when she opened the box. “It’s fantastic!” Harry said nothing, but stood there, grinning madly.
“Help me put it on, okay?” She took it from the box, and he stood behind her trying to fasten the clasp with shaking hands. It was taking every ounce of willpower he possessed not to bend down and kiss her neck, but he was not sure that he’d be able to stop after just one kiss. “What’s with the sudden urge to shower me with gifts? Not that I’m complaining, but Harry…”
Harry spun her around so that they were standing face to face. The onyx glistened against her skin, her smile was captivating and he could hardly remember the Very Important Thing he had been meaning to tell her. “Ginny, while I was away, I thought—”
Molly Weasley burst into the room. “Are you two ready to go…Ginny!” Her jaw nearly hit the floor when she saw her daughter. Her emotions were easily read – she was obviously warring between the desire to make Ginny go upstairs and put on a sweater, and acknowledging that her adult daughter had turned into a lovely witch. “Well! You’ve been shopping, I see.”
Ginny fought back her laughter. “Harry’s been shopping. He’s done a wonderful job, don’t you think?”
“Yes, of course,” Molly answered coldly, “you two make a very handsome pair. Now, let’s get going – they’ll be seating guests shortly.”
“You and Dad should go on ahead. Harry was just going to tell me something.”
Harry panicked. The white-hot spark of passion that had flashed between them, giving him the courage to tell Ginny how he felt about her, had lessened considerably when Mrs. Weasley had tacitly disapproved of the gown. “That’s okay, we can talk about it later,” he said quickly. And before Ginny could protest, he Apparated to the Ministry Ball.
~*~*~
Heads turned as Harry and Ginny entered the ballroom, and Harry had that old, uncomfortable feeling of being watched again. It had been a long time since he’d attended a Ministry Ball, but it seemed nothing had changed; the same photographers trying to take his picture, people he hardly knew cozying up to him and more than one nosy reporter asking if he and Ginny were dating.
Harry gave the same statement to anyone who bothered him: “Tonight is an occasion to honor Arthur Weasley for his extraordinary accomplishments. I’ve been very close to the Weasley family since I was a boy, and I’m just here to wish him well, the same as you are.” He literally sidestepped any questions about his love life by walking away.
It came as a great relief when he was seated at dinner surrounded by Weasleys. If Harry closed his eyes, he could imagine they were gathered at the large table at the Burrow. It was so great to be back with his adopted family, especially with Ginny smiling and joking beside him. Even the publicity was amusing when Fred made a rude hand gesture at the photographer who was trying, unsuccessfully, to sneak a photo of Harry and Ginny together.
They sat patiently through the interminable awards ceremony. Harry draped his arm across the back of Ginny’s chair, unable to resist an occasional caress to her shoulder now and then. She turned her head to look at him a few times, and he smiled at her. Ginny didn’t seem annoyed; on the contrary, she grinned back at him, leaning slightly into his arm.
After the ceremony finally ended, the band started to play and the alcohol began flowing freely. Harry hadn’t had nearly enough to drink to dance yet, but he was working on it. He stayed at their table, chatting with George, Fred and Charlie, while Ginny danced with her father. He was having a difficult time keeping up his end of the conversation, though, since his eyes were riveted to the dance floor.
He caught Charlie elbowing Fred and pointing at him. “What?” Harry asked with a furrowed brow.
“You seem to be enjoying the view,” said Charlie with a grin. “Not that we don’t think our sister is attractive, but I think you’ve got some drool on your chin, Harry.”
Harry quickly rubbed his face before realizing that Charlie was winding him up. “Very witty,” he said tersely.
“I’d love to know where she got the money for that gown,” Fred mused. “The Ministry doesn’t pay clerks all that well, and it must have cost a pretty knut.”
Harry swallowed. He might as well confess, or they’d just drag it out of Ginny later. “I might have helped her out a bit there.”
“See George, I told you. Young Mr. Potter is smitten with our sister,” gloated Fred.
“No, I just did it because I thought she could use some cheering up. It’s not a big deal.” He might have got away with the lie had it not been for the furious blush that washed across his cheeks.
Fred leaned over to George. “‘Not a big deal,’ he says. He must have spent a fortune on her.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve helped out a Weasley in need, would it? You two were happy to be on the receiving end of my generous nature at one time – why shouldn’t I do the same for Ginny?”
Harry could tell that Fred and George were not entirely convinced, but his argument was enough to shut them up. Perhaps he should get his dance with Ginny over with so that they could escape before the Weasley brothers’ harassment of him got out of control.
Almost as soon as Ginny returned to their table, Harry was dragging her to the dance floor again. “Can we just have the dance I promised you and get the hell out of here?” he asked. “I don’t know how much more I can take.”
“Yeah, sure.”
Fortunately, the band was playing a slow number, which meant that Harry might actually have a chance of getting through this dance without making a complete arse of himself. Hermione had tried to teach him how to dance a long time ago, and with a little concentration, he thought he might be able to avoid stepping on Ginny’s toes. He pulled her close and rested one hand in the middle of her bare back. He could feel the goose pimples on her skin.
As Harry got into the rhythm of the dance, he looked around – more than a few sets of eyes were focused on them. “You are the most beautiful witch here. I’ll bet all those wizards out there are jealous of me.”
Ginny snorted. “So glad I could feed your ego, Potter. Is that all I am to you – just another pretty face?” she teased, eyebrows arched high and a wide smile across her face.
“Oh no,” Harry said with mock sincerity. “Your body is pretty fantastic, too.”
“Harry!” Ginny pretended to be outraged, but they both knew she wasn’t the least bit upset.
Holding Ginny in his arms, Harry forgot that he was anxious to leave. They went around the dance floor again, and then a third time. They were just passing the side closest to their table when Ginny suddenly stopped. Harry nearly tripped over her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, noting the alarmed expression on her face.
Ginny swallowed hard, her eyes big as galleons. “I’m…I’m not wearing any knickers,” she whispered frantically. “They’re gone!”
“Er, what do you mean, ‘they’re gone’?”
People were beginning to stare at them, as their lack of movement was causing a traffic jam. He pulled her closer and started dancing again; she followed reluctantly.
Ginny leaned close to him. “I mean, one minute they were on and now they’re not.”
Oh dear God, Harry thought he was going to die! Ginny was having one of those random outbursts of weirdness that George had mentioned! He shot a panicky glance at Fred and George, but they were deeply engrossed in a conversation with Kingsley Shacklebolt. Ginny looked ready to hit someone. Harry didn’t really know what to do. God, what if she started getting angry with him. Fred had said to act as if it was normal… What would he say if she really had lost her knickers? He’d probably try to make a joke of it.
“Ah, well, look at the bright side. It will save you time getting ready for bed.”
Ginny glared at him. Shit, wrong thing to say. “What I meant was, er, it could happen to anybody.” That comment didn’t seem to subdue her anger much, either.
“It’s the sort of prank that has Fred and George written all over it, and I’m gonna kill them. Right. Now.”
She stormed off the dance floor just as Arthur Weasley and the Minister sat down in his and Ginny’s vacated seats. He couldn’t let Ginny make a fool out of herself in front of the Minister of Magic. Thinking fast, Harry reached an arm around her waist and pulled her away from the table, steering her towards a darkened alcove.
“Ginny, you can’t do anything in front of the Minister. He’s your boss, for God’s sake. Let’s just go home. We were going to leave soon anyway.” Harry saw her eyes narrow as she watched the twins laughing with their dad and the Minister of Magic.
“Fine,” she said angrily. “I’ll deal with them later. Summon my things, would you? I left my purse and wand at the table.”
Harry did as she asked, and Ginny promptly Disapparated without so much as a goodbye to her parents. He was quite distressed. Was she going mad? Knickers couldn’t just disappear. If there were a spell to do that, it would have been a favorite pastime of adolescent wizards everywhere. Fearing what she might do if left alone, Harry Disapparated moments after her.
“Ginny?” he called when he stepped into the house. He found her leaning against the doorway waiting for him.
“I hate them!”
Harry put his hand on her shoulder. “You don’t actually know it was them. It might have been someone else.” Of course, if the knickers really were gone, it was unlikely to be anyone else, but he didn’t have to say that.
“Yeah? Who else would be sick and perverted enough to do that?”
Harry shrugged and unbuttoned his robe. When he opened it, something dropped to the floor. He reached down to pick it up. Bloody fucking hell, she was telling the truth after all. “Shit,” he muttered.
Ginny snatched her knickers from his hand. “Oh God, it was you!”
“No! I—”
Ginny screamed at him, “Here I was, thinking you were more mature than that, but it seems all that time you spent with my brothers has corrupted you! I suppose this was your brilliant scheme to get inside my pants!”
“Ginny, could you just —”
“Buying me this revealing gown, and all the innuendos, and that comment about getting ready for bed… If you wanted to have sex, you could have just said so! But you had to go and play these games.” A tear of anger spilled down the side of her face.
God, she wouldn’t shut up! How could he explain if she wouldn’t stop talking? So he did the only thing he could think of and kissed her hard on the lips. A split second later, Ginny slapped him hard on the face. Her eyes had a fiery glint, and she was clearly Not Happy.
“At least I got your attention,” Harry said, rubbing a hand over his stinging cheek, “because I need you to listen. First off, I did not remove your knickers. If I had, I certainly wouldn’t have put them in my robes. And I am not scheming to have sex with you… I mean, I’d like to, but… Bugger… Let me try again.” Harry pulled away from Ginny so that he could focus better on her face.
“What I was going to tell you before we left for the ball – you remember, when your mum interrupted us – was that while I was in Italy, I realized how stupid I was just to step aside and let Colin have you without a fight. I care about you a lot, Ginny, and I was hoping we could be more than friends.”
She stared at him with a dumbfounded look on her face. Harry nearly kicked himself again: for a declaration of love, what he just said was pretty lame. But how could he put his feelings on the line and admit that he was head-over-heels in love with her? He wished she’d say something soon.
Ginny’s shiny eyes looked blankly at the ceiling before focusing on Harry again. “God, Harry, I wish you’d said something before. The truth is, I was never in love with Colin. I really only started dating him to make you jealous. You’d been treating me like Ron’s little sister for so long; I thought you only wanted friendship, and I wanted more. I guess that plan backfired in a big way. You’re not the only one who acted stupidly.”
Harry’s heart was pounding hard in his chest. “So does that mean,” he asked hopefully, “that you’d, um, be my girlfriend?” He noticed his palms were sweaty from nerves. How was it that the hero who vanquished the Dark Lord was now reduced to a quivering mess by the prospect of being rejected?
Ginny chuckled uncomfortably. “You make me feel like I’m a little girl at Hogwarts again when you say that. But yes, Harry, I’d love to be your girlfriend…and lover.”
Their eyes met again, Harry desperately hoping that he’d heard her correctly. The look in her eyes said he had. He was awestruck. “Really?” he asked. Ginny nodded.
Harry pressed her against the doorjamb, tangling his fingers in her hair as he licked Ginny’s lips before plunging his tongue into her mouth. She ran her hand over the curve of his arse, pulling him as close as she could. Ginny’s kisses lingered on his lips, and then she shifted so that she could lick his neck, and Harry thought he might have died and gone to heaven. Her hip pressed against his aching prick, causing a moan to escape from his throat.
“Harry,” Ginny said in a teasing voice, “what do you think we should do with these?” She held up the knickers, which dangled from her hand. “There’s not much point in putting them on again right now, is there?”
Fuck. He was going to come in his pants like an adolescent. Harry stepped away from Ginny, trying to calm himself with a deep breath. “Miss Weasley, if you insist on waving those in front of a certain wizard who is not known for his self-control, then I’m afraid you’re going to suffer the consequences.” His voice was low and rasping, and his cock was so hard that he could barely stand up straight.
“Perhaps I’ll just take them up to my bedroom, then. Would you like to come with me?” she smirked.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I would. Er, when do you think your parents will be home?” After offering their home to him for as long as he needed it, he didn’t think Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would much appreciate discovering him in bed with their daughter.
Ginny kissed him again before answering, “I think it will be several hours. The party was just getting started, and Dad’s the guest of honor.”
“Several hours isn’t nearly enough time to do everything I want to do with you, but it’s a start.” Harry wrapped his arms tightly around Ginny and Apparated them up to her bedroom.
They had no sooner landed than Harry’s mouth was ravishing Ginny’s again. All of those dreams of kissing her like this were nothing compared to the real thing. He could smell the scent of jasmine in her hair and feel her fingers trace his spine through his robes, and… Why the hell was he still wearing all of these clothes?
Without breaking the kiss, Harry shrugged off his robes. He reached up to unfasten his tie, but Ginny knocked his hands away.
“Here,” she whispered, “let me do it. I’ve been wanting to rip this thing off you all evening.” She deftly untied it and threw the tie on top of his robes. Then she started to unbutton Harry’s shirt.
Harry grabbed her wrist, capturing her attention with the intensity of his gaze. “Ginny, if you have any doubts about this, say something now. I don’t think I’ll be able stop if we keep on going.”
“Oh, no, I don’t have any doubts. I’ve wanted this forever. Don’t you dare stop now.”
That was a request Harry had no intention of denying. He cupped Ginny’s face in his hands and kissed her again. “You are so beautiful,” he said reverently.
Ginny pulled Harry’s shirt loose from his trousers and finished unbuttoning it, tossing it into the growing pile of discarded clothing. Harry moaned slightly as she slid her hands across his chest before hooking them around the back of his neck, pulling him even closer as they kissed.
“This dress is lovely,” said Harry, “but don’t you think you should take it off before it gets wrinkled?” He punctuated his statement by trailing kisses from Ginny’s earlobe to the shoulder of her gown.
“But Harry, I’m not wearing any knickers,” she replied, the breathiness in her voice sending chills down Harry’s spine.
“Gods, Ginny, do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”
Ginny reached down and stroked the bulge in Harry’s trousers. “Yes, I suppose I do.” She stepped back, lowering the shoulders of the gown and pulling her arms out of the sleeves. Harry’s eyes raked over the corset he’d given her, and she smiled. “Pretty, isn’t it? I was hoping you’d get a chance to see what it looks like on me.”
Harry’s mouth had gone dry. The corset was obviously being held on by magic, because there wasn’t enough of it to offer any actual support. Harry leaned forward and licked Ginny’s collarbone before moving his lips towards her breasts with open-mouthed kisses. Ginny threw her head back, moaning at his actions.
He couldn’t wait any longer. Harry reached around to the back of her gown and lowered the short zipper. He slid his hand inside, moving it freely over her bare arse. He pushed the gown past her hips, holding out one arm for Ginny to grab onto as she stepped out of it.
Ginny picked up her wand from the bed where she’d set it down and tapped the corset. It instantly separated in the back and she caught it as it fell forward. Ginny glanced up to see Harry ogling her breasts like a teenage boy, and she burst out laughing.
“You know, Harry, it’s not polite to stare,” she said, winking when she caught his eye. “At least not unless I have a chance to stare back. Your turn.”
Upon hearing Ginny’s words, Harry came back to his senses, and he could feel his face flush. He realized how stupid he must look as he grinned back at her. “Sorry. You have to forgive me for being a bit distracted.” Harry stepped out of his shoes and quickly pulled off his trousers and boxers in one go, tossing them aside with his other things.
He pulled Ginny close to him, reveling in the feeling of her skin against his, a spark of pleasure running through his body when his cock pressed up against the gentle curve of her belly. Harry claimed her mouth with a passionate kiss. Not wanting to lose contact, he edged them closer to the bed, and then lowered them onto it with a graceful dip.
Harry forgot to be nervous as he explored the contours of Ginny’s body, and the contrast of freckles against her pale skin was too tempting to ignore.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are?” he whispered in her ear just before nibbling on her earlobe.
“Yes, twice. But you can tell me again; I don’t mind,” Ginny answered, although the teasing tone she’d been trying for was lost in the breathiness of her voice.
“Beautiful,” Harry said. He was unable to speak after that because Ginny’s hand had curved tightly around his cock, and she was stoking it with a fair amount of skill. He desperately searched his mind for thoughts that would keep him from coming on the spot, finally landing on a fleeting image of Professor McGonagall and Hagrid in bed together.
Harry’s fingers found the wetness between Ginny’s legs, and he slowly slid one inside of her, earning the most gratifying moan yet. He found her sensitive spot and worked it with his fingers, knowing he was doing something right when Ginny began to pump him harder. He had to push her hand away in order to have any hope of lasting more than a few seconds.
Ginny called out his name and thrashed her head from side to side as Harry continued his ministrations, and it was only when she grabbed his hand and frantically cried, “Harry, please!” that made him believe she was as close to coming as he was.
Settling between her legs, he slowly entered her. Harry was nearly overwhelmed by the feeling of her tight muscles around his cock. With a gentle rocking motion, he moved his hips, but his tempo increased as Ginny wrapped her legs around his back and thrust her hips forward with each stroke. Remembering something he’d learned from one of his Italian lovers, he reached a hand between them and fingered her clit. As she let go a muffled cry, Harry could feel her muscles tighten around him as the orgasm ripped through her body. This was more than enough to cause him to lose control, and he spent himself seconds later.
Harry’s heart was racing as he rode out the aftershocks of his orgasm. He wasn’t exactly a virgin, but sex had never been like that before. This was usually the time that his flight instinct would kick in, and his brain would go into overtime trying to figure out how soon he could leave without being too rude. But here, with Ginny soothingly stroking his chest, all he could think about was how soon his body would recover so that they could do it again.
He kissed Ginny deeply and nuzzled against her neck. He heard a barely audible “I love you,” whispered across his cheek.
Harry raised his head and locked his eyes on Ginny’s, watching her blush up to her ears. “You weren’t supposed to hear that,” she said sheepishly.
A broad smile crossed Harry’s face. “But I did hear it, so I suppose it’s only fair to tell you that I’m crazy about you, too.” He laid a trail of kisses down her neck, ending with a broad swipe of his tongue across Ginny’s chest. “And I intend to remind you again in a few minutes.”
Ginny seemed pleased by this pronouncement and she kissed him back enthusiastically. “While we’re waiting, perhaps you could explain to me why you were so unconcerned when I told you about my knickers disappearing. If it were you, I’d have hexed Fred and George before they knew what hit them.”
Harry groaned inwardly. He did not want to admit the truth, yet this wasn’t something worth lying about. “I, er, well, I didn’t actually believe you.” Ginny’s glare nearly burned him. “You see, George told me that you’d gone, um, a bit mad.”
Ginny looked at Harry incredulously. “And you believed them? Did I seem mad to you?”
“Well, no, of course not. But Fred said that was one of your symptoms; you’d be going along perfectly normally, and then you’d say weird stuff. So when you said your knickers had vanished, I just thought it was, you know, a weird way of getting my attention.”
Ginny was speechless, and Harry couldn’t tell whether or not she was angry.
“They were really convincing. Honest, Ginny, I think they set me up for that reaction.” He tried to look as sincere as possible. He had been pretty foolish to believe Fred and George over his own intuition.
“They ought to know by now that I’ll kill them. One day, when they’re not expecting it, I will do it.” She chuckled at the anxious look on Harry’s face. “Don’t worry, I forgive you – it’s Fred and George who are going to pay.”
Harry couldn’t really bring himself to care about Fred and George at the moment, because he found himself distracted by Ginny absently caressing the inside of his thigh. He thought he might enjoy starting at her fingertips and seeing if she would be willing to let him taste every inch of her glorious skin.
Two hours later they’d made love a second time and were working on their third when Ginny heard the distinctive noise of people Apparating downstairs. She looked frantically at the clock; it was already past midnight, so it must certainly be her parents.
“Harry,” she whispered loudly, crooking her hand under his arms to pull him up from where he’d been attending to her thighs in a most exquisite manner, “I think my mum and dad are home.”
“Shit – I don’t want them to find me here.” Harry scrambled out of bed, grasping his clothes with one hand and shoving his glasses on his face with the other. He leaned down for one last kiss. “Hold that thought, love. I fully intend to continue this tomorrow.”
“God, Harry, I’m never going to be able to sleep now.”
“Me neither. Damn, I already miss you. Goodnight, Ginny.”
“Goodnight, Harry.”
~*~*~
Ginny was already sitting at the breakfast table when Harry arrived downstairs the next morning. She looked tired, but happy, and unbelievably beautiful to his eyes. Harry hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours, but he had a busy day planned.
Glancing around the room and seeing no one but Ginny looking at him, Harry bent down to kiss her. She winked before returning his kiss.
“Good morning, Harry,” said Molly when she turned from the stove. “Are you all right today? You and Ginny left so early last night, I thought you might have been ill.”
“No, I’m fine,” he said, taking the plate of eggs and toast that she offered him. “Brilliant, actually.” Molly shot him a strange look, but didn’t say anything.
“You and dad certainly stayed out late. I heard you come in, and it was after midnight.” Ginny’s face did not give away the fact that she’d been thoroughly occupied when she heard her parents come home.
Molly refilled her teacup and sat down at the table. “We were out late, and it was the strangest thing. Every time your father and I got ready to leave, Fred or George would pull us over to talk to someone else. It was almost as if they were afraid we would leave before they did. If I hadn’t watched them with my own eyes all night, I’d have sworn they were up to another one of their pranks.”
Harry and Ginny exchanged meaningful glances. Harry was yet again completely amazed by Fred and George’s keen sense of self-preservation. It was decent of them to keep Arthur and Molly out of the house while he and Ginny sorted things out. Ginny looked torn between wanting to rat them out and being extremely grateful.
“So, then, what’s on the docket for today?” Molly smiled at Ginny and Harry, noticing the shy looks they were giving each other.
Harry cleared his throat. “Well, I was hoping I could steal your daughter away for a while to help me find a flat in London. I’m anxious to settle into my own place.”
“No need to rush – we love having you here, don’t we, Ginny?”
Ginny nodded. “Yes, but I’m sure Harry wants to be closer to the Ministry and to his friends in London.”
Molly eyed her daughter suspiciously. She’d have bet anything that Ginny would beg Harry to stay at the Burrow. The child was definitely Up To Something. “Yes, go ahead. Have a nice time.”
She watched the two of them leave, noticing the subtle difference in the way they walked side-by-side, Harry’s arm draped comfortably around Ginny’s shoulders. Perhaps it had already happened then, she thought. It was about damn time.
finis